The London bombings

As Muslims in America and abroad roundly condemned the July 7, 2005 terrorist attacks on London, the question in the minds of everyone in America was: can it happen here?

So far, no member of the Muslim community in the United States has been accused of killing civilians here. However, the allegations that four British Muslims were involved in the London blasts have definitely brought a chilling question: could there be some young Muslim in America who, like a few students of Columbine High School in the spring of 1999, raise arms against people around them? An estimated 39 percent of households in America own a gun. A number of Muslims probably own one as well. If there are 30,000 people who commit suicide in America every year, about 60 of them may be Muslims as per their population ratio. Since we have about 12,000 murders per year in America, 24 of them may be Muslims. Therefore, the statistical possibility does exist.

Muslims are indeed under tremendous pressure. According to several surveys, one in four Muslims have either personally experienced or known someone close to them who has faced discrimination. There is a constant bombardment of negative news damaging to their psyche, complemented by government policies that have given rise to an acute sense of injustice among American Muslims. Even by the US government's own statistics, about 212,638 Muslims have been affected directly by its policies.

No one will know for sure if another attack will happen or not. Many people get very angry but only a few become killers. The same is true for Muslims. It is possible that some angry and depressed individuals, instead of getting involved in general criminal behavior, combine this anger with their hate of the Iraq war, the plight of Palestinians, as well as their sense of victimization at the racism and/or discrimination Muslims continue to face in the US.

All of this makes it plausible that some Muslims faced with a high level of stress, anger and desperation may take the law into their own hands. At least twice in the past, two people with Muslim-sounding names in America have complained of consistent racial harassment before they unleashed their guns.

Government leaders predict it is only a matter of time that another terrorist attack happens in the US.

How can the Muslim community here help prevent such a possibility? Can we mediate anger into positive energy? Can the right Fatwas against killing innocent civilians come out before, rather than after the fact?

It is not an easy task for law enforcement or the community to clinically identify a potential killer, whether it's a Columbine high-style attack, an Oklahoma City-type killer or a potential suicide bomber. But there is much that can be done for the noble cause of saving human lives, which is like saving all of humanity in the eyes of our Creator.

A combination of efforts on the part of the Muslim Community and a change in the US government's policy towards Muslims in America can reduce the likelihood of someone losing their mind and committing terrorism.

Here are some things the Muslim Community and our government can do.

The role of Imams and community leaders

The Masjid is still the main communication vehicle and organizing forum for Muslims in America. Each large city has several mosques that have higher budgets than any national Muslim organization, more finances and a better capacity to communicate and mobilize the Muslim community. Imams and community leaders are also among the few individuals that virtually all Muslims turn to in times of distress. Here's how they can help:

1. Incorporate in Khutbas (sermons) the following facts and topics while using Quran and Hadith to provide an Islamic perspective:

killing civilians by the military, groups or by individuals is wrong and sinful

not speaking out against Zulm (oppression) is wrong

we have rights as citizens and we should use them by empowering our communities

the Iraq war is wrong

we are not alone. A large number of churchgoing Christians are against the Iraq war, as are the majority of our neighbors

the rights of Muslim and non-Muslim neighbors are the same in Islam

harming a non-Muslim is as much of a sin as harming a Muslim in the eyes of Allah.

The first Islamic society, Madinah, came into being with a contract between the Muslim minority, polytheists and People of the Book for a common cause. This is outlined in the wathiqa known as the first surviving written constitution of the world.

peaceful coexistence with those of other faiths throughout Muslim history

suicide is forbidden in Islam

if Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, did not allow killing civilians for his cause, there is no higher cause than his which can allow taking lives.

a killer loses his/her faith as soon as they kill someone unless they repent, reaffirm their faith, and commit to a life of virtue.

a killer goes straight to hellfire if s/he does not repent and submit to legal remedy for his/her victims

how to deal with anger

how to deal with stress

the state of the ummah and our responsibility, including the limits of what we can and are expected to do by God

I know that many Imams are giving Khutbas on these and similar topics. It would be good if they shared their notes with others.

2. Be more accessible to the Muslims they serve. Are Imams listening to their audiences? Sermons can be more effective if you get feedback from your audience afterwards. With this two-way communication, if Imams and leaders notice anyone making comments that indicate an individual is showing signs of extremism or is in danger of committing a crime, or they notice extremist groups gaining influence on mosque attendees, they can address this effectively.

3. Deal with fringe groups abusing the freedom of Masjids. Masjids are more open places than churches. Anyone can access a Masjid, whether they are a member or not. Most Masjids don't have membership or donation requirements. Most don't even have a resident Imam or a full-time caretaker. With this openness towards all comes a problem. Some people start conducting their own study circles. While I love this historic Islamic openness of the Masjid, we must provide counter- arguments to those who further Muslim isolation from society in our Masjids. The mosque leadership should have a transparent process whereby they deny these fringe groups free access to Masjid facilities, especially in cases where a young or a new Muslim may be vulnerable to their missionary zeal without an Imam on staff to guide him or her. The process of dealing with these ideologies should be open, democratic, and subject to critical scrutiny. An unfair process always creates more problems than it resolves. The groups that preach the following ideas are harmful to community life from my perspective, although they may not necessarily preach violence:

It is Haram to vote.

You cannot make friends with people of other faiths

Politics is Haram

It is Haram to become a citizen of the US

America is Darul harb (abode of war)

It is not Haram to cheat on taxes, commit fraud and other crimes in America since it is Darul Harb

Working with other faith groups on a common cause is wrong

There should be open, critical discussions about the problem posed by these thoughts/groups within the Board of Directors, as well as through sermons to the general public. Imams and the boards of Masjids should be particularly vigilant about groups that preach against any type of diversity, whether it is of differing opinions within the Muslim Ummah or of various faiths. We must not, however, assume that anyone who holds these views is automatically prone to harming others. Freedom of religion and thought are God-given rights which must be extended to those among Muslims who do not agree with our interpretation.

4. Address extremism head on. If Imams notice an individual becoming increasingly angry or adopting extreme views, the Imam and the Masjid leadership need to immediately speak with the individual, advise them, correct their erroneous views and help them divert their energies in the right direction. This will require rethinking about how our Masjids work.

5. More opportunities for younger people. Are our young Muslims fully connected with the community? Are we listening to them? Are there positive leadership opportunities for them in the community? Why do so many of them want to change their names? What goes on with them in the public school system where 99 percent of Muslims are educated in terms of social, racial and religious pressures? Have we done scientific surveys of our youth's opinions? None of the Muslim schools, Maddrassas or weekend Islamic schools I know teach anything negative towards American society. But do Muslim children have supplemental education and enhanced support to compete in a society that is increasingly hostile towards Muslims? Are they becoming confident Muslims and winning citizens or are they trying to hide from the pressures? How much of our budget goes towards supporting our youth through youth camps, encouraging their interaction with children of other faiths, scouting, drug abuse rehabilitation and mental health?

6. Confront those who condone terrorism. This means that if someone is overheard approving of terrorism, they must be spoken to privately or addressed immediately in a careful manner. It should be pointed out to them that their view contradicts Islam, which not only calls for justice, but also insists on following due process and preserving the sanctity of human life.

7. In the extreme and rare possibility that you know someone is about to commit a crime, it is of utmost importance to contact law enforcement. We should remember that it is our duty to enjoin the good and forbid the evil. This is similar to a case of an abusive husband threatening to kill his wife. He must immediately be reported to the police before he commits a horrific crime. The duty of saving human life transcends all bonds and it is the most Islamic thing to do.

Channel Anger into Positive Energy for Justice

Many Muslims are frustrated when Imams don't speak on topics of relevance.

Almost all Muslims are against the Iraq war, prison abuse, discrimination and racial profiling, but not many Imams speak against this in their sermons. The state of fear is dictating silence. But the silence will not help.

When Imams don't speak about issues that matter to Muslims, like those listed above or on topics like domestic violence, gender and ethnic diversity and transparency within Muslim institutions, they start losing the audience.

Imams must speak on issues that concern the community. This will strengthen their communication channels. Muslims will feel that their leaders are speaking out on things that matter to them. Many churches speak out about these issues and a number of mosques have been doing so as well. Now it's time for more Imams to add their voices.

If Presbyterians, Episcopalians, United Methodists, the National Council of Churches and some liberal Rabbis can speak about the plight of Palestinians, so can Muslims. By completely depoliticizing mosques and sermons, Imams are alienating their young audience further. The sermons are becoming irrelevant. You cannot guide the community if you are so far away from what the community is feeling.

A majority of Americans are now against war in Iraq. There are many faith groups who actively preach and mobilize against it. An interfaith partnership with peace and justice groups can channel anger into positive energy towards a better policy on the part of America, which will save lives.

We must preach using the power of persuasion with patience and endurance. I firmly believe in the sense of fairness of our neighbors. Conversation is the key. There are more requests for Muslim speakers from people of other faiths than Muslims can provide. The voices of citizens, protests and votes are the only legitimate vehicles available for change. Have Muslims mastered the art of using our rights to influence America? Have we devoted enough time and money to develop alliances for peace and justice? Do we only speak when it is a Muslim cause or are we full partners in the civic life of our society? Are we empowering our communities so they don't feel powerless and voiceless?

If anger and frustration is not channeled into positive energy, the mainstream Muslim community may lose the young and the restless to some known or secret preacher whose rhetoric may directly or indirectly facilitate or incite criminal behavior. Sometimes that secret preacher may be an FBI agent as has happened in several cases in the last few years, when some Muslims inclined to extremism were entrapped by FBI.

I have never heard an Imam in America preaching violence and crime. However, one well-known Imam did tell me that he heard Egyptian Shaikh Omar Abdul Rahman suggesting in response to a question that Muslims can rob banks in America to fund a fight against the Egyptian government. Now serving time in a US prison, essentially for his speech, the visiting Egyptian Shaikh was not only physically blind but completely unaware of how he was being set up by these type of questions. While torture in Egypt and the cause of freedom and democracy there is legitimate, the use criminal means to support it will not be justified by any Imam I know of. However, those Imams who knew about his rhetoric should have collectively clarified that his ruling is Islamically wrong.

Silence is not the solution.

But Muslims as citizens can only do so much. A lot can be done by our government to facilitate Muslim participation in society.

What the American Government can do: use the Best Assets to Protect America

The American government is spending billions of dollars to "win the hearts and minds of Muslims" abroad. However, it has refused to consider a strategy that will assure victory on this front: treat your Muslims as you treat your Christians. Muslims are not suspects, but assets for civil society. A first-class Muslim citizen can be a first-class partner.

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, wrote a day after the July 7, 2005 London bombings that, "if it's a Muslim Problem, it Needs a Muslim Solution." While I do not agree with everything in Friedman's column, I do agree with the title. Muslims in America, as individuals committed to their faith and their country, are in a unique position to do this.

Put Muslims on the Policy Tables

Although it is primarily a responsibility of Muslims that they empower themselves through their civic participation, government policies can, nevertheless, facilitate this process. Stop listening to those sworn enemies of Islam who make our government stop the likes of Yusuf Islam and Tariq Ramadan from entering America. You cannot just collect a bunch of Islamophobic "experts" to dictate US policies towards the Muslim world. They will lead you straight into creating another terrorist factory like Iraq.

And don't look for an alliance of "willing" Muslims. America must talk to the established Muslim leadership as it exists, not a manufactured one. Allow your Muslims to talk and be ready for a lot of critical feedback on issues ranging from foreign policy to civil liberties to double standards in terms of freedom and democracy in the world.

Once on the table at think tanks, in the State Department, and in the Homeland Security Department, Muslims are likely to discuss what policies may help America.

Give Your Muslims Due Process of Law

Muslims in America are living in a virtual internment camp that has been built around the community. From a Muslim perspective, it is almost impossible to trust law enforcement in this country. After all, why should you report anyone to law enforcement if you know:

they will be abused in custody

they will not get a fair trial

you will be forced to become an FBI agent or

you yourself may possibly be implicated

In order for Muslims to become helpful partners in our efforts for saving lives, America must not fudge on its principles. That means absolutely fair and open trials for Muslims and other minorities charged with any crimes. This is a major crisis in the US justice system today, one that a Muslim comedian pointed out in his act. "African-Americans complain they can't get a fair trial. Muslims can't get any (emphasis mine) trial," he said.

Twenty-eight American Muslim charities have been banned by the US government. Millions of dollars in donations have been eaten up by the US Treasury Department but not one of the charities has been tried since the crackdown on these organizations began almost four years ago.

Conclusion

Muslims becoming first-class citizens at this moment is the duty of Muslims as well as that of our government. Not only will both benefit but it may also help prevent further loss of lives at home and abroad.

If we are expected to brace for another 50 years of war, let's spend some time now to study what the last four years have brought us and how we can do better.

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Comments

Your article has given a very good insight to Muslims and Non-Muslims alike of what needs to be done to stop the violence done in the name of Islam.Violence never has solved problems, but rather generates more.. One must only look to Ireland to understand this. Honest and open dialogue between rational, thinking people would benefit all of humanity. While there are people in this world who are dying of starvation, going without needed medicine due to lack of funds, who are treated as second class citizens in their own countries, the world will never be at peace.As Believers we all must speak out against any type of violence. On the day of Judgement, will all of us not be asked not only about our prayers but what we have done for our fellow human beings?

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Assalam aleykum wa rahmatullah. I do not live in London or Boston but that I read a lot and communicate with friends over there. Your article is very illuminating, thought-provoking, and timely. The question is: Is anyone in the White House, the Congress, the British House of Lords & Commons, or even the Pentagon and M15 for that matter listening? If they are, are they seeing your point of view? and if they do, are they willing to change? I believe it is these traits exhibited by decision and policy makers that will ultimately determine how effective our efforts at enlightening of our Muslim brothers and Sister will be. May Allah continue to bless SoundVision with knowledge (Amin)

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Assalamualikum was rehmatullahA timely and well thought out article. It needs to be circulated aggressively. I also suggest that Sound vision or some other organization develop a training plan for the Imams and community leaders/board members regarding the issues mentioned in the article. May Allah reward you for your efforts.Rashid

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There is an authentic Hadith of the Prophet PBUH that there should be strict scrutiny of any news especially it applies to current times wherein the mainstream media that is known to twist facts like the case of WMD in Iraq. Three major terrorist incidents happened in recent times and Muslims were blamed. Atleast in two such cases- Godhra in Gujarat and Moscow apartment bombings were later proven by independent and in one case official investigations to be work of state apparatus. Hundreds of thousands of innocents were killed and Chechnya was reduced to a parking lot after suffering the most savage bombardment since Word War II. We have to be extremely careful in laying the blame. I also have this excerpt from Dr. Muzaffar Iqbal from Impact magazine from UK. This is one of few Muslim magazines that give balanced perspective of events.Whatever it was, for now 11 September 2001 stands as a watershed between the low intensity invasion of the so called 3rd world of the post-Soviet era and the present intensive and full scale war that has so far conquered two wretched countries and subjugated numerous others without a fight. Afghanistan was more or less a trial run. Other than the blind fury and raw rage, there was nothing behind the wanton destruction of this ravaged land. Its most significant function proved to be the building of a war engine to provide a magic word for creating the most sinister label in recent history: Al-Qaeda. Since this word was invented, framed in a context and spun around a story, it has become a magic wand applicable to numerous situations. From Madrid to Bagdad and from LONDON to Jakarta, anyone who is stuck with this label, stands guilty, ipso facto. No further investigation is needed. The general public is satisfied merely by the application of this label and the accused is lumbered with a verdict of guilty. This is perhaps the most criminal and brazen act of the aggressors, who have used the full force of their media to propagate this label worldwide.

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The article was excellent, but I think it neglected a key component: the need for the development of an American Muslim culture and American Muslim authority and theology. Young Muslims are basically forced to choose between being Muslim and being American/British/ French/ postmodern/ etc. because insufficient effort has been made to create a vision of living in the 21st century while bringing new life to an ancient tradition. We import religious rulings from lands where people have know idea who American Muslims are. We have also lost knowledge of Muslim and non-Muslim classics and the arts and humanities in general, and are suffering from an inabilty to think beyond the training we receive to be proper corporate worker bees. Allah's worker bees need much more extensive training. The development of an Islamic vision for here and now is sorely needed.

In the face of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States, Muslims need to be informed, aware and pro-active when dealing with the American media, which, in the past, has linked all Muslims to terrorism when similar incidents have taken place.

While leaders and organizations have their role to play, individuals are key to promoting a better understanding of Islam and Muslims, as well as protecting Muslims from harassment and attacks. Here are some ways you can help:

It is important that children's safety is addressed by Muslim organizations as well in these days following the horrific terrorist attack of September 11, 2001. If you are not a leader, get your Masjid or community center to write a letter like this on their letterhead and mail it to the address of school you provide them.

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